Hubris

[ed_rex]

I know, there's lots of sureality kicking around lately, but the Israeli government wins today's prize for sheer hubris; they must think they can can say or do anything and get away with it.

I'm sure you've all heard by now of the raid (in international waters) on a "relief convoy" that was headed for Gaza yesterday. Israel's Channel 10 is said to have listed the number of casualties at 19 dead and 36 wounded.

Anyway, I don't have the time to get into a long (or even a short) discource on the Israel/Palestine conflict just now. What really struck me was the clueless arrogance of the Israeli response to the international condemnations coming in from all over the place.

Israel said its troops were attacked after they stormed six ships loaded with thousands of tonnes of aid and with hundreds of activists aboard, and that both sides used live fire.

Yes, the emphasis is mine.

I'm reminded of a brutal scene in a recent episode of the brilliant HBO series Treme (which, incidentally, you should all be watching!), in which one of the characters surrenders to the police following a protest. When the cops come inside, he offers his hands to be cuffed but refuses to kneel.

The cops proceed to beat the shit out of him, shouting from behind the (now) closed curtains, "Stop resisting! Stop resisting!"

The lie is so blatant you pretty much have to think they believe it themselves. Don't you?

Comments

[sinnamongirl.livejournal.com]

I heard that last night on the radio and was so sad. I was trying to find excuses at first, in a way, like maybe they had intelligence that something terrible was on those boats?

But no. Just badness on their part. I'm very disturbed by it.

The Entebe credit card has run out

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid Israel has long since jumped from the Good Guy to the Bad Guy camp in my books.

I didn't for a moment think there was anything terrible in the boats and I didn't believe the soldiers were "attacked" (if you can be attacked when you engaged in, er, attacking a boat).

But this is really extreme; it's almost as if Israel has jumped the international credibility shark.

Re: The Entebe credit card has run out

[sinnamongirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my opinion, and the opinion of a lot of people I know, is that Israel has gone overboard in a lot of ways- that in their quest to be secure, they've turned into a state that's not what a lot of Jews want it to be- i.e., they've gone too militaristic instead of being a haven.

I was getting really confused, because honestly most of the news I see sucks as far as actual information, but it sounds like their excuse is that one boat wasn't following procedures, and some people on board had ties with Hamas, and thus they sent in the soldiers.

Now, if there was information there was a huge stash of weaponry, I could see it being a good excuse. But I don't agree with the blockade in the first place. I dunno. It's very disappointing, to say the least.

[emperor3d.livejournal.com]

Well, the outcome of all this will be when it's determined what the ship actually holds.

I'm waiting to be shocked

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

It's just what it appears to be: an attack on un-armed civilians on the high seas by a government grown so used to killing civilians it has forgotten that people occasionally object to it.

You should work on your cynicism.

Re: I'm waiting to be shocked

[emperor3d.livejournal.com]

Well I equate all this to Somali pirates boarding ships and reaping havoc. It's no different. It's a clusterfuck.

[sooguy.livejournal.com]

Why the night time raid?

I heard Netanyahu speaking with Harper today and said that they were just verifying the cargo and had been in touch with the boats before boarding them.

He also said that they were not opposed to humanitarian aid being delievered to Gaza.

If I was Harper I would have piped up on the spot and offered a shitload of aid to be trucked to Gaza under the Canadian flag. Oh, wait that would never happen right. You have to choose carefully you help in this world.

It's so sad the world has come to this.

He's lying (but you knew that)

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

Echoing something I read, I think it's clear the raid happened at night in least in part to create terror on the part of those on the ships. And the harsh response to resistance was designed to create fear and terror on anyone who might consider launching a follow-up attempt to break the Gaza blockade.

He also said that they were not opposed to humanitarian aid being delievered to Gaza.

I'm inferring you agree with me that that is simply a blatant lie.

Sad indeed. I miss having good guys in my world.

[steelcaver.livejournal.com]

And this is why Israel get s so little sympathy from anyone.